Track & Field Stories

Track & Field Stories

There are many stories in this sport based on having individuals performing for a team but

Austin Kahill making a heave with the Discus

knowing how they perform really just rests on how they prepare themselves.

Yes, those relay events would certainly be the closest to where a team atmosphere is present but for the most part this sport is based on how individuals do in order to help the team win.

Junior Shane Relkin is one student that will be performing after he surprised many people when he uncorked a jump that was good enough to win district.

Relkin had broken the 20 foot mark earlier this year and had the potential to win, but overall this district field could of been several athletes.

“I got my best mark on the very last jump,” Relkin stated. “All my jumps before that one were horrible and I almost did not make the finals.”

In the Long Jump, athletes perform jumps in order to make that final field of participants to compete and will be given another set of jumps after weeding out those that were not as good.

“I squeaked in (finals) on my seventh place,” Relkin said by the skin of his teeth. “Once I had another chance, I started working on my steps.”

Relkin did take that opportunity and made it work to his advantage, “I was nervous and I was having trouble running in the wind…after jumping I thought I had a bad jump and when they told me my distance, I was in first place.”

Relkin was not in the winning circle yet, as he had to wait for the rest of the long jumpers to finish their last try before he could realize a personal goal of winning this event.

“I waited patiently,” Relkin said. “It was a crazy time and I thought that last jumper had beat my best and had reached over 21 feet….then officials said that he had scratched and that was when I knew I had won.”

Another weird story comes from Freshman Heath McDonough, who had a best of 6’0 on the High Jump event this year.

A happy Heath McDonough knowing his season is not quite over yet.

McDonough had hit that height on his second meet this season in Blanco. That height stood as one of the best jumps for this year in district and was done while competing on the Junior Varsity team.

McDonough was not just a high jumper as he also competed on the relays and hurdle runs for the JV.

That decision of competing for the varsity meant McDonough would be performing all of those other events with more accomplished athletes in those events.

Was it worth it? “You bet,” McDonough gloated.

By placing second in district, McDonough will now have an opportunity to travel to Kingsville for a Region Meet as a freshman.

“I found out last week after I saw my name posted on the board,” McDonough said. “I got really excited and my goal was to get within the top four and getting second was great.”

In the district meet this year, Canyon Lake only needed to have students make it within the top four to be able to compete in the Area Meet that will then pair it down to the best two in the area that would go to Region.

Junior Austin Kahill ready to throw again

Another athlete that made his Track & Field season longer was Junior Discus thrower Austin Kahill.

This group of athletes have a name for making a certain distance called, 30-30 club. That simply means making a throw that hits the 130 foot mark or longer.

“I missed it by 11 inches,” Kahill said using his hands to show how far he missed the 130 mark. “I will get it next meet.”

The soft spoken Kahill said, “I just wanted to get my personal best and I was hitting the 120 mark on every throw so I was feeling good on my throws.”

The Hawks have many other stories on what happened on those two district days of competition, hopefully we will have more to share next week after more success stories.